BOSTON - Making its fourth NCAA appearance in six years, the Boston University softball team will open the postseason tournament at the Tucson Regional against host 11th-seeded Arizona of the Pac-12 on Friday (May 16) with the ESPNU broadcast set for 11 p.m. ET. American Athletic Conference champion Louisville and Southeastern Conference member LSU will also be traveling out west.

Led by second-year head coach Kathryn Gleason, the Patriot League champion Terriers (35-19, 13-5 PL) earned their automatic bid by sweeping through the conference tournament this past weekend with a pair of wins over Bucknell and victory against defending champion Army. Senior Chelsea Kehr was named the three-day event's MVP by tallying a pair of three-run homers and was joined on the All-Tournament Team by sophomore pitcher Melanie Russell, senior right fielder Jayme Mask and senior shortstop Brittany Clendenny.

The two-time NCAA regional finalist Terriers (1996, 2009) are 6-12 all-time in the postseason and have posted at least one win in four of their six previous appearances. Senior Amy Ekart drove in the game-winning run in a thrilling 4-3 13-inning victory over Iona in an elimination game at the No. 1 Cal Regional in 2012.

Ranked as high as No. 9 in the polls, the eight-time national champion Wildcats (41-13, 14-10 Pac-12) last won it all in 2007 and are making their 28th straight NCAA appearance. They are also hosting the initial rounds of an NCAA tournament for the 17th time.

BU last visited Hillenbrand Stadium in 2013 when it posted a 2-3 record at the Wildcat Invitational. Arizona defeated the Terriers in a pair of games, 6-3 and 4-1, during the three-day event. The two teams also met in the 2002 NCAAs at the Minneapolis (Minn.) Regional. The Wildcats won that opening-round contest, 4-1.

LSU (35-22, 13-11 SEC) is ranked as high as No. 23 in the country. The Tigers earned an at-large after falling to No. 16 Kentucky in a 4-3 nine-inning heartbreaker during the semifinals of the SEC tournament.

Louisville (36-20, 14-7 AAC) won three games, including a 3-2 victory over Central Florida in the American Athletic Conference championship final, to claim the NCAA automatic bid.

Should BU advance through the four-team, double-elimination regional, the Terriers would face the winner of the Lafayette, Louisiana, Regional in a best-of-three Super Regional a week later.

Tucson Regional hosted by No. 11 Arizona (all games to be televised through the ESPN family of networks)